Clock controlled switch



Dec. 11, 1962 D. MORRISON ETA]. 3,068,331

CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed June 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 147 TOP/V5 K Dec. 11, 1962 D. MORRISON EI'AL 3,068,331

CLOCK CONTROLLED swITcH Filed June 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. DAV/D MORE/SON 350265 P. POSTELL Dec. 11, 1962 D. MORRISON ETAL 3,06

CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed June 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. mwo Maze/50M 6;??65 P. P05 r541 ATTOFNIEY United States Patent 3,068,331 CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH David Morrison and George P. Postell, Athens, Ga., as-

signors to General Time Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 22, 1960, Ser. No. 37,925 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) This invention relates to timer controlled switches and concerns more particularly an operating mechanism for a clock switch.

It has become common to initiate the operation of household appliances with clock controlled switches which conventionally display the time in the usual way and also are effective to close a switch at a selected moment in much the same way as an audible alarm is activated. In addition to having the switch capable of operation at a selected time under the control of the clock, it is common to also provide for manual On-Ofi control.

It is the primary aim of the invention to provide a clock controlled switch that reliably affords the full range of manually Off, manually On, and Automatic clock controlled actuation, but which is of a particularly economical design.

In more detail, it is an object of the invention to provide a switch and operating mechanism of the above character that employs a simple, inexpensive two-contact switch assembly which requires no critical manufacturing tolerances or relationships.

A related object is to provide such a clock controlled switch that is well suited to mass manufacturing techniques.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clock controlled switch as described above which is rugged and capable of effective performance over a long service life.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the face of a clock of the type in which the invention may be utilized;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are top and bottom views respectively of the clock shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating a switch and operating mechanism therefor embodying the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the clock shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the motor and rear frame plate removed;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6, 8 and are fragmentary sections taken approximately along the line 66 in FIG. 4 and showing the parts in alternate operating positions; and.

FIGS. 7, 9 and 11 are fragmentary elevations similar to FIG. 4 and taken along the lines 7-7 in FIG. 6, 9--9 in FIG. 8, and 11-11 in FIG. 10, respectively.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, we intend to cover all alterna .tives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown a clock 10 including a switch 11 that is controlled by the clock and which embodies the invention. The clock mechanism itself includes a frame made up of front and back plates 12 and 13 respectively, which are secured in spaced relation by a plurality of posts 14. A dial 15 is mounted on the front frame plate 12 and is provided with the usual time displaying indicia as indicated in FIG. 1.

Journaled in the frame plates 12, 13 is a sleeve and shaft assembly 16 carrying an hour hand 17, minute hand 18 and second hand 19. The sleeve and shaft assembly 16 is driven by a shaded pole, synchronous motor. 20 through a conventional gear train with the motor being energized from a source 21 of A.-C. current (see FIG. 3).

In the illustrated embodiment, switch 11 is arranged to complete a circuit from the source 21 to an outlet 22. To this end, the switch 11 includes a housing 23 formed dielectric material which encloses a fixed contact 24 and a resilient movable contact 25. Preferably, the switch is of the normally closed type and thus the resilient movable contact 25 is mounted in the switch housing 23 so as to be biased toward engagement with the fixed contact 24. The contacts 24, 25 are formed with terminal portions 26 and 27 respectively, which extend outside of the housing 23 and are connected in series with the outlet 22.

For operating the switch 11, a switch operator 30 formed dielectric material is fioatingly mounted in a slot 31 formed in the switch housing 23 adjacent the frame plate 12. The operator 30 is coupled to the movable contact 25 through a ledge portion 32 on the operator against which the contact 25 is biased. The floating mounting of the operator 30 permits the operator to move independently along two paths. First, theoperator 30 slides along the frame plate 12 so as to operate the switch 11 by carrying the contact '25 into and out of engagement with the fixed contact 24. The operator is illustrated at one end of this path of movement in FIGS. 6 and 7 and at the other end in FIGS. 8 and 9. Second, the operator 30 can swing or tilt toward and away from the adjacent frame plate 12 for a purpose to be brought out below. Again, the operator is illustrated at one end of this second path in FIGS. 6 and 7 and at the other end in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Pursuant to the invention, the operator is urged both toward the frame plate 12 and in one direction along the frame plate by a single spring wire 35. In the illustrated construction, the spring wire 35 is anchored at 36 to the front frame plate 12 and passes through a slot 37 formed in the operator 30 with the spring wire being bent so as to urge the operator both toward the frame plate 12 and in a direction along the frame plate to close the contacts 24, 25. That is, the spring wire 35 urges the operator 30 toward the right in FIGS. 6, 8 and 10 as well as downwardly in FIGS. 4 to 11.

For operating the switch 11 under the control of the clock 10, the switch operator 30 and the frame plate 12 are formed with inter-engaging latching portions and the clock 10 includes a cammed element for unlatching the operator at a preselected time. In the preferred embodiment, the operator 30 is formed with a finger 40 adapted to be received in a slot 41 formed in a front frame plate 12. With the finger 40 fitted into the slot 41, the operator is latched against downward movement under the urging of the spring wire 35 and the wire also biasing the operator toward the plate 12, holds the finger 40 in the slot 41.

To unlatch the operator, the clock 10 includes an hour gear 42 forming a part of the motor driven timing train and a setting gear 43 which is coupled to a setting pointer 44 (see FIG. 1). The hour gear 42 and the setting gear 43 are formed with cooperating cam projections 45, 46 respectively, and the gear 42 is axially shiftable on the shaft assembly 16 so that when the angular position of the cams 45, 46 coincide, the gear 42 is shifted axially away from the frame plate 12. The switch operator 30 includes a shoulder portion 47 positioned in the path of movement of the hour gear 42 as it is cammed axially from the frame plate 12.

In the illustrated clock, a setting knob 48 is mounted for rotational and axial movement in the clock frame and is arranged to be rotationally coupled with either the hour gear 42 or the setting gear 43. By utilizing the knob 48 ment.

to rotate the hour gear 42, the angular position of the earns 45 and the setting of the minute and hour hands 17 18 is adjusted. By utilizing the knob 43 to rotate the setting gear 43, the angular position of the cams 456 and the setting of the pointer 44 is adjusted.

To briefly summarize the operation of the switch 11 under the control of the .clock 10, it will be assumed that the knob 48 has been used both to set the clock hands 17, 18 and to adjust the pointer 44 to indicate the time at which it is desired to operate the switch 11. The switch is conditioned for operation by the clock 1% when the switch operator 30 is latched in the FIGS. 6 and 7 position with the finger 40 resting in the slot 41. In this position the operator holds the movable contact 25 out of engagement with the fixed contact 24.

When the hour hand 17 reaches the time indicated by the pointer 44, the angular positions of the cams 4-5, 46 coincide so that the hour gear 42 is urged axially from the plate 12 into engagement with the shoulder portion 47 of the operator 30. The operator is thus tilted back from the frame plate against the bias of the spring wire 35 so that the finger 49 moves from the slot 41 unlatch ing the operator, whereupon the spring wire 35 slides the operator along the frame plate 12 so as to close the contacts 24, 25. This is the position of the parts illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. It can thus be seen that the switch 11 is, operated by unlatching the switch operator 31 upon axial movement of the hour gear 42 at the time selected by the setting of the pointer 44.

In accordance with the invention, a control member 51'? is positionably mounted in the frame plates 12, 13 and provided with abutment and cam portions for manually shifting the operator 36 to alternatively condition the switch 11 for clock controlled operation or to open or close the switch contacts. "In the preferred embodiment, the member is journaled in the frame plates 12, 13 so as to have a slight amount of axial movement. A helical spring 51 is compressed between the rear frame plate 13 and a shoulder portion on the member 50 (see FIG. 5) so as to urge a projection 52 formed on the member 59 against the front frame plate 12 (see also FIG. A pair of detent lobes 53 and 54 are formed on the front frame plate for cooperation with the projection 52. The spring seats the projection 52 on one side or the other of each of the lobes 53, 54- so that a three position detent lock is provided for the control memer 50. In one detented position, the projection 52 is above the lobe 53, in the second detented position the projection 52 is between the lobes 53, 5d and in the third position the projection 52 is below the lobe 54. For

manually rotating the control member 5% into any one of its three positions, a knob 55 is carried on the outer end of the member 50 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

For shifting the switch operator to manually open the switch 11, the control member 50 is provided with an abutment 56 which cooperates with a kink 57 formed in the control wire 35. With the control member 59 rotated so that the abutment 56 underlies the kink '57, the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wire is moved to shift the switch operator 30 along the frame plate 12 so as to hold the switch contacts 24, 25 out of engage- In this position, the control member is moved sutficiently far so that the finger can enter the slot 41, but the abutment 56 is wide enough to hold the operator 30 whether or not it is shifted or tilted from the frame plate 12 by'the axially movable hour gear 42. Thus, with the abutment 56 underlying the kink 57 in the wire 35, the switch 11 will be held open and in this angular position of the control member the knob points to the OE indicia shown in FIG. 1.

For shifting the switch operator 30 to manually close the switch 11 whether or not the operator is latched, the control member 50 is provided with a cam 61 which, when the knob 55 is swung to the On position shown in FIG. 1, engages the spring wire 35 so as to cam the wire away from the frame plate 12. This movement of the spring wire also carries the switch operator 30 away from the frame plate so as to unlatch the finger 49 from the slot 41 and thus permit the tensioned spring wire 35 to slide down the cam 61 and carry the switch operator 3% along the frame plate 12 in the direction to close the contacts 24, 25. With movement of the cam 61 into engagement with the spring wire 35, the abutment 56 is swung from under the kink 57 and thus the wire is freed for movement of the switch operator 30 to operate the switch 11. This position of the parts is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

To condition the switch operator for clock controlled operation, the control member 54) is rotated through its Off position to a third position where both the cam 61 and the abutment 56 are clear of the spring wire 35. in this position, shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the switch operator 30 is free to move from its latched to its unlatched positions under the control of the shiftable hour gear 42 in the manner previously explained. With the abutment 56 and cam 61 in the positions shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the knob 55 points to the Auto indica, a convenient abbreviation for Automatic, appearing in FIG. 1. It is important to note that the control member 51} must be moved through its Oif position to reach the Auto position. in this way, the abutment 56 sweeps beneath the kink 57 so as to lift the control member 39 along the frame plate 12 and allow the finger 40 to latch in the slot 41. Thus, the switch operator 30 is conditioned for clock controlled operation as an incident to rotating the knob 55 into the Auto position.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the switch 11 is of the most simple design, utilizing but two contests of which only one is movable. In addition, the mounting position of the movable contact is not critical with respect to the position of the fixed contact and hence the switch 11 can be quite economically manufactured.

The operating mechanism for the switch 11 is also quite simple, utilizing but a single switch operator and a single manually positioned control member. Despite the simplicity, and economy, of the arrangement illustrated, the full range of manual Ofi, manual On and Automatic clock controlled operation is achieved.

It will also be seen that the switch 11 and the parts making up its operative mechanism can be quite ruggedly constructed and, since there are no dimensional relationships which could get out of adjustment, the clock controlled switch is capable of performing effectively over long periods.

We claim as our invention:

1. A clock controlled switch comprising, in combina tion, a frame member, a movable contact and a fixed contact each anchored relative to said frame member, a switch operator coupled to said movable contact, said operator being shiftable along a first path to carry said contacts into and out of engagement and along a second path toward and away from said frame member, means for urging said operator both toward said frame member and toward one end of said first path, said operator and said frame member having inter-engaging portions for latching said operator when the latter is urged against the frame member at the other end of said first path, clock controlled means for shifting said operator from said frame member at a selected time so as to unlatch the Operator, a control member movably mounted on said frame member and having three alternate positions, said control member carrying an abutment and a cam each operable on said switch operator, said abutment being located on said control member so that in one position of the member the operator is held in said other end of the path by the abutment while the abutment does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions, said cam being located on said control member so that in asecond position of said member the cam shifts the operator from the frame member and the cam does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions.

2. A clock controlled switch comprising, in combination, a frame plate, a movable contact and a fixed contact each anchored relative to said frame plate, a floating switch operator coupled to said movable contact, said operator being slidable adjacent said plate along a first path to carry said contacts into and out of engagement, said operator also being tiltable toward and away from said frame plate, means for urging said operator both toward said frame plate and toward one end of said first path, said operator and said frame plate having interengaging portions for latching said operator when the latter is urged against the frame plate at the other end of said first path, clock controlled means for tilting said operator from said frame plate at a selected time so as to unlatch the operator, a control member journaled in said frame plate and having three angular positions, said control member carrying an abutment and a cam each operable on said switch operator, said abutment being located on said control member so that in one position of the member the operator isheld in said other end of the path by the abutment while the abutment does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions, said cam being located on said control member so that in a second position of said member the cam tilts the operator from the frame plate and the cam does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions.

3. A clock controlled switch comprising, in combination, a frame member, a movable contact and a fixed contact each anchored relative to said frame member, a floating switch operator coupled to said movable contact, said operator being shiftable along a first path to carry said contacts into and out of engagement and along a second path toward and away from said frame member, a spring wire anchored on said frame at one end and secured at the other end to said operator for urging said operator both toward said frame member and toward one end of said first path, said operator and said frame member having inter-engaging portions for latching said operator when the latter is urged against the frame member at the other end of said first path, axially shiftable cam wheels operated by said clock for shifting said operator from said frame member at a selected time so as to unlatch the operator, a control member movably mounted on said frame member and having three alternate positions, said control member carrying an abutment and a cam each operable on said switch operator, said abutment being located on said control member so that in one position of the member the operator is held in said other end of the path by the abutment while the abutment does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions, said cam being located on said control member so that in a second position of said member the cam shifts the operator from the frame member and the cam does not affect the position of said operator in the other member positions.

4. A clock controlled switch comprising, in combinaticn, a frame member, a movable contact and a fixed contact each anchored relative to said frame member, a switch operator coupled to said movable contact, said operator being shiftable along a first path to carry said contacts into and out of engagement and along a second path toward and away from said frame member, means for urging said operator both toward said frame member and toward one end of said first path, said operator and said frame member having inter-engaging portions for latching said operator when the latter is urged against the frame member at the other end of said first path, clock controlled means for shifting said operator from said frame member at a selected time so as to unlatch the operator, a control member journaled on said frame member and having three angular positions, said control member carrying an abutment and a cam operable on said switch operator so that in one angular position the operator is held at said other end of the path, in the second angular position the cam shifts the operator from said frame member and in the third angular position neither the cam nor the abutment affects the position of said operator, said first position being between said second position and said third position so that in moving said control member to said third position the control member always moves through said first position so as to latch said operator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,782,274 Powers et a1. Feb. 19, 1957 

